Rail clamping or fastening device



(No Model.\

M. A. POSSONS.

RAIL OLAMPING 0R FASTENING DEVIGB. No. 517,236.

PatentedMar. 27, 1894.

772 611 added sir-rs STATES ATENT rrrc.

MINARD A. POSSONS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAIL CLAiVlPlNG OR FASTENING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,236, dated March 27, 1894.

Application filed November 20, 1893. Serial No. 491,457. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MINARD A. POSSONS, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Clamping or Fastening Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-clamping or fastening-devices, and it consists more especially in simple and durable means for clamping or fastening the rails to metallic ties.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the rails of a track fastened or clamped to a metallic tie, bymy improved rail-clamping or fastening-devices, portions of the same being in section to more clearly show the construction, and portions being broken away to reduce the size of the drawing. Fig. 2 is a perspective showing myimproved rail-clamping or fastening device before application. Fig. 3 shows a rail in position upon the tie (the latter being in section), exhibiting also the manner of applying my improved railclamping or fastening-device.

My improved rail-clamping or fasteningdevice, as it appears before it is applied, is exhibited in Fig. 2, and consists of two upright arms A connected by a web a, the web being enlarged upwardly between the arms, as at a, being separated from -the arms a suitable distance, as at a, for the purpose hereinafter made apparent, and being preferably somewhat undercut adjacent the arms, as at a The arms extend a suitable distance above the enlarged portion of the web, and at their upper extremity terminate in jaws or laterally-projecting flanges A, said flanges projecting at right angles to the web, and the arms, opposite to the free extremities of jaws 0r flanges A are rounded or cut away, as at A The application of my improved rail-clamping or fastening device is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and referring to which B represents a metallic tie that is preferably composed of a channel-beam, U-shaped in cross-section,

and arranged with its web or central member I) uppermost, and with its flanges b resting upon the ground or bed underneath,the rails O resting upon the web or horizontal member of the tie. Said member of the tie, at the edges of the base of the rails, is slotted, or perforated, as at 19 for the insertion of the laterally-bent extremities or, jaws of arms A of the clamping or fastening-device, the latter being applied, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, the rounded portion A of the arms of the clamping or fastening-device accommodating the insertion of said members into holes o The size of web a a of the clamping or fastening-device is such that when the latter is in position relative to the tie prepar-' tions of the top or horizontal member of the tie that form the outer side-walls of holes o are preferably bent laterally and upwardly, as at o so that when the rail is clamped or fastened to the tie the shoulders or abutments b presented by said upwardly-bent portions of the tie shall be in the same or ap proximately the same horizontal plane with the edges of the base of the rail, and the size of holes o is such that when the rail is secured in position the base of the rail shall not only be clamped on top by flanges or jaws A, but shall also be clamped at its edges; that is, the holes referred to are of such size that the arms J of the rail-clamping or fasteningdevice, when twisted to clamp the rail, shall engage the respective shoulder or abutment b on the one side, and the adjacent edges of the base of the rail on the opposite side.

The. spaces a had between the web and arms of the rail-clamping or fastening-device, and hereinbefore referred to, are for the purpose of accommodating the twisting of said arms. The material of which the rail-clamping device is composed is preferably mild steel or Norway iron, or such other metal as will not be injured or have its durability afiected by twisting the clamping-arms of the device as hereinbefore described. It will also be observed that shoulders or abutments b of the tie form a railway-gage by which the rails of the track are laid.

What I claimis- 1. A rail-clamping or fastening-device consisting of two arms adapted to clamp the base of the rail and connected by a web, the free ends of the arms terminating in clampingjaws and the connecting web being adapted to engage the underside oftheyrail-supportingtie or member, the device being composed of such material as will accommodate the twisting of thearms-and the web being separated a suitable distancefrom the arms'to accommodate-thetwisting of the latter,.substautially assetforth:

2. A rail-clamping or fasteningde-vice consisting of twoarms A,,conneeted byaiweb, a, the free ends of: the' arms terminating in clamping-jaws and: the connecting; webbeing enlarged in the direction of said jaws and adapted to engagethe underside of the railsupporting tie or member, the device being: composed of such material aswillaccommodate thetwisting of the arms'without mutilating or materially affecting thedurability of the same, the enlarged portion of the web a being separated a suitabledistance from the arms to accommodate the twisting of the'latter, and the jaws of the arms being adapted .inj uring the durability of the device, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

4. The combination with a rail and metallie tie for supportingthe rail, the supportingmember, of said tie having holes, b and shoulders orabutments 11%, formed thereon at the outer-sidesof said holesgof a: rail-clamping or fastening device consisting of two arms connected by a web, the Web engaging the underside of the aforesaid: member ofi the tieand thearmsextending:through: the

aforesaid holes and terminatingrati theirupper extremitiesin jaws-thatengage the aforesaidshoulders oi-abutments on their onesside and theadjacent edge of the baseoftherail on the opposite side; substantially asshown, for the-purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification,in 1the presence'of twowitn'esses, this 16th day of October, 1893.,

MINARD A. POSSONS. Witnesses:

C. H. DORER, VVARD' Hooves; 

